


To Bluff

by softgrungeprophet



Series: Compass [4]
Category: Venom (Comics)
Genre: Arguing, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Venom (2018) comic spoilers, alternate pov from a scene in the main story, feelings are hard, flash thompson pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 01:12:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16903290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softgrungeprophet/pseuds/softgrungeprophet
Summary: "He distinctly said 'to blave.' And, as we all know, 'to blave' means 'to bluff.'"Or, Eddie breaks the news to Flash.





	To Bluff

**Author's Note:**

> An alt-pov version of a scene from Compass: [link](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16892598/chapters/40271108)

"Brock—Eddie. Can we talk?"

"Yeah." A sigh. "Yeah, I'm coming."

Eddie crossed the space from the couch to the open door in a drawn-out string of heartbeats, following Flash into the bedroom and shutting the door behind him. It was dark, so Flash turned on the light. He gestured toward the bed—not in a lewd way, but in a "I have no chairs" way. He rolled closer to the stacked mattresses himself, settling his gaze on the man before him.

With a rush of air, Eddie sat on the foot of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands in front of his mouth.

"You look like shit." Flash inspected him. The bags under his eyes, the beard in need of a slight trim, the bedraggled buzzcut. "Why're you here?"

Eddie shook his head, unwilling to meet Flash's eyes. Instead, he stared toward the closed door, fidgeting with his hands—rubbing a thumb along each finger individually, then over again. After an eternity—with Flash almost ready to insist—Eddie finally spoke, quiet and strained.

"I need your help."

Flash rolled his eyes. "Fucking duh." He moved closer, and reached out. Eddie flinched, but Flash only placed a hand on his shoulder and ducked his head to try to catch his eyes. "Seriously, tell me what's going on."

Rather than hold eye contact, Eddie closed his eyes. But he nodded, almost imperceptibly. The breath he pulled in was sharp and unsteady and it came out shakier still as he spoke. "My other— _our_ other—" His face contorted for just a blink of a second and Flash knew where this was going almost instinctively. Felt his stomach drop just before Eddie said, "It's braindead."

"I turned it into a... a fucking dog, Flash, just so I didn't have to feel it like this—" He grabbed a handful of his black t-shirt, the material like athletic polyester but they both knew what it really was. Finally, Eddie met his eyes and this time Flash had to look away, overwhelmed entirely by the emotion there. "Like an albatross around my neck."

 _Jesus_.

Flash took a moment to compose himself. "I—" He didn't know what to _say_. How was anyone supposed to know what to say to that? So he resorted to his only coping mechanism. "Well, it listened, though, right? That means it's only _mostly_ dead... right?" He cracked an uneasy, half-formed smile.

Eddie stared at him.

And stared at him a little more.

"Seriously?" With a half-breathed curse, Eddie dug his fingers into his eyes, rubbing at his exhaustion. " _The Princess_ goddamn _Bride_ , Flash?"

Flash shrugged.

"What're you gonna tell me next? True love will fix this?" His voice rose as he spoke. "I just need to buy a box of fucking Valentine's chocolates and that'll fix everything?!"

Flash felt his expression harden. "No! Okay, I don't know—!" It came out _loud_ and he winced, reminded of his dad. He quieted himself. "I don't know—"

BAM BAM BAM

Flash grimaced, as Andi's voice came through the door. "Don't start this shit!"

"Sorry!"

He faced Eddie again—saw the anger there, frustration. Glared right back at him, but before he could even say a word to him, Eddie had moved out of his space—had pushed away, toward the door, and right out into the living room, shoving past Andi.

Flash sighed, as the bathroom door slammed and Andi turned on him.

"What the _fuck_."


End file.
